Contemporary artist Richard Prince curated an exhibition of twenty-one paintings and works on paper by British artist Stuart Sutcliffe. Referred to by many as “the fifth Beatle,” Sutcliffe’s brief stint as an early member of historic rock band The Beatles have always seemed to overshadow his own accomplishments as a visual artist.
According to art critic Donald Kuspit, many of his works “grapple with issues of representation while bringing a renewed freshness to European permutations of Abstract Expressionism.” Despite Sutcliffe’s death at the early age of twenty-one, the exhibition is meant not to focus on what could have been if not for the artist’s untimely death from a brain aneurysm, but instead on the impressive works that the young artist left behind many years ago.
The exhibition, which will be first showing of works by the artist since sometime 2001 will be accompanied by a limited edition publication, fifty of which will be signed by both Richard Prince and Stuart’s surviving sister Pauline. In addition to this, five select booklets will include original artworks by Prince himself. In addition to the twenty-one works on display there will be select pieces chosen from the Stuart Sutcliffe archive to be exhibited throughout the gallery.
“Stuart Sutcliffe: Yea Yea Yea,” Aug 10 – Oct 14, Harper’s Books, East Hampton, New York
(Images: Stuart Sutcliffe/Stuart Sutcliffe Estate)
